Saturday, September 6, 2014

The Curly-Haired Girls Club

When I was on treatment I was very fortunate to have such an
incredible medical team. They all took such good care of me and were so
supportive of me and my family. My primary team consisted of three wonderful
ladies, Sarah Leary, Cory Hoeppner, and Katie Steffl. Katie named our little
group “the Curly Haired Girls Club” since she, Dr. Leary and I had curly hair.
Cory has wavy hair and my mom used to have curly hair, so we figured that
counted too.

My team was headed by my fabulous oncologist, Dr. Sarah
Leary. She steered us through the long road of cancer treatment and recovery. She
was very good at explaining the entire treatment process. She would discuss
what was happening in the present while keeping a long range view on what was
yet to come. It meant so much to me that even though I was still considered a
"child," she wanted me to have a say in my treatment. She explained
everything to me and not just to my parents. She made me feel a part of
decision-making instead of feeling like things were happening to me. Her role
in my life has changed over the past five years. She went from expert care
giver to longtime friend and supporter. No matter how her role in my life
changes, she will always be the fearless leader of the “Curly Haired Girls
Club.” I couldn't have had a better oncologist and supporter.

[Dr. Leary and I at my last chemo]

It wasn’t until a few weeks after diagnosis that I met one
member of my team. I finally got to put a face to the name and met the legend
herself, Cory Hoeppner, nurse practitioner extraordinaire. Into the room came
this red-haired Canadian woman who kept the laughs rolling with the brand of
sarcasm that fell right in line with my family's sense of humor. Cory is one of
the smartest people I know. She has worked in the oncology field for many years
and knows all the tricks of the trade. She got me through the day-to-day
challenges of being a cancer patient with all sorts of magic home remedies for
the various side effects I experienced from treatment. Cory has continued to be
a go to person for information, for both me and my inquisitive brother. I will
be forever grateful for her expert care, snappy wit, and unending support. She made such a personal connection
that she began to feel like “my Cory.” It wasn't until the 2010 Run of Hope
that I realized she was everybody's Cory. That she made a special connection
with each patient and family that came through the brain tumor clinic.

[Katie, Me & Cory]

Rounding out my main team was Katie Steffl, RN, who taught
us everything we needed to know about the do's and don'ts of being a cancer
patient. Katie had a positive and sunny attitude that always made me feel
better. Over the year we spent together she became almost big sister like. Katie’s
first task was teaching us “The Book” on cancer treatment. “The Book” is a
three-inch binder filled with all the information a patient and their family
needs to know while being treated for cancer. She patiently worked through the
book with my parents while I was recovering from brain surgery and finished her
lessons when my mom and I came in for clinic visits. In the many visits to the
clinic that followed Katie would always stop in to see how I was doing or if I
need anything. One of my funniest memories of Katie was when she brought me a
bag of Doritos after I was prescribed Marinol (and anti-nausea drug that is
derived from marijuana). Before I was prescribed the drug we had joked that it
should come with a bag of Doritos.

Although she has moved to a different position at Seattle
Children’s she still stops to chat if she sees me when I come into the clinic.
No matter where she goes within the hospital, she will always be the founding
member of the Curly Haired Girls Club.

Other members of my super-team included hem/onc M.A. Cindy,
and the many wonderful nurses of the infusion center including; Aaron, Heather,
Jen, Gen, Erin, Anna, Kirsten, Tracy, Kelly, Robin, Marcy and many more.